Hot
1. Wimbledon
The tennis is upon us again and it gives me an excuse (let’s face it, any old excuse) to watch fit young men and eat clotted cream.
2. Book Porn
I had such good intentions this morning walking past the secondhand book shop in North Laine. I really truly did. The covers of the vintage penguins beckoned me in with their orange faces and san serif font. Having ones books locked up in storage can send a person crazy - enough of this Grazia pap, I want a proper read. Sadly the penguins were mostly dull: essays on Suez, a guide to crown green bowls etc. Fatefully I stepped into Waterstones. I blame JK Rowling. Having that postcard story in the window just hooked me in. They have five floors at the Brighton Waterstones. Five! How was I meant to resist?
First up in the book porn category are all books published by Ryland Peters and Small. Pure interior pornography. I felt lucky to only escape with buying ‘French Home’ and ‘Contemporary Country’ - utter wall to wall filth.
‘Quiet, please: Dispatches from a Public Librarian‘ appeals to both my fondness for a good font and the fact I’d love to be a librarian. Nice. Looks funny too.
‘Pride and Prejudice‘, my favourite Austin. Perfect for a read on our Regency seafront. I love the covers of this Vintage Classic series. Modern and bold. Can I be a book cover designer too please?
A new translation of Hans Cristian Andersens ‘Fairy Tales‘. How can you resist that graphic cover illustration? What I always loved about HCAs work was how dark it was. Now I need some children to read to. Sod the kids I’ll enjoy it myself.
3. Seagulls
Yes, seagulls are cool. I know Pete will disagree with me but I like them. Waking to the sound of a seagulls cry carried up my street on the wind beats yet another siren blaring along Lower Road. It’s the sound of the seaside. Plus they look cheeky and they’ll have your rubbish if you put it out on the wrong day. Remember that number 18 when you put out your black sack on a Thursday.
4. Upper St James Street / St Georges Road
How much love can I have for this stretch of Kemp Town? Thissssssssssssssmuuuuuuuuuuucccccch. Today I’ve seen antlers and a frankly scary metal airchair in Alex MacArthur. My perfect 1950s bathing suit has been found in Frocks Away Vintage (oh I am so going to get one of those) and I perused fine fruit in Presto High Class Italian greengrocers. I also coverted the perfect French beach blanket in Pardon my French!
5. Money Transfers
It is very nice when ones other half texts you to say that a five figure sum has been deposited into your bank account. The profit we made on our flat! Sadly it needs to be disbursed. I am saying disbursed a lot these days. It will be nice though to be totally debt free. No mortgage, no loan or credit card debt. Well, we’ll be getting a new mortgage in another two weeks time but for now we are as free as birds.
6. Top Gear
It’s back. Yes, Jeremy will be offensive to gays, Richard will sport a collection of dubious bead necklaces and James will be in desparate need of a hair cut. But I love it. I love every fuel guzzling, eccentric, daft bit of it. Pah on you naysayers.
Not
1. Football
Euro 2008 to be precise. We are not going to mention Italy. No we are not. I am heartbroken and it is all Donadoni’s fault. Has the snooker season started yet?
2. Rose Returns
I am pleased that this series of Doctor Who is nearly over. We’ll never have to see Miss Strange Shape Mouth again. Gah, I hate her. Bring on the Grand Moff Steven.
3. Not having a dishwasher
Yes, I am spoilt. Now I have papery dry hands too.
(NB: Sussex water is even harder than London. Full of chalk it is. We are now religiously filtering everything. The benefit of same is that I only need to wash my hair every 3-4 days as it is much drier than before. The water is also having a drying effect on my face. Chin spots begone!)
4. Slow Solicitors
Yes, we are still waiting to move into our new flat. The exchange has been delayed due to the other lot not having the papers ready. Double gah. They have also put off the day of our completion to Friday 4 July. Considering our rental flat is up on the 4th it is very very tight. This makes me nervous. We are also going away on the 10th and this leaves us very little time to organise removers etc. Time is a paradox at the moment; everything is either going too fast or too slowly, at the same time.
Yes there are more hots than nots. Don’t quibble, I’m happy. I am sure something will come along to bite me in the arse sooner rather than later, you pessimists.
